First topic message reminder :

Hello everyone. We are unashamedly in search of willing sharers of quality information. We are potential expats - our house in the UK is on the market and we are looking to move to VT region, ideally southerly, as soon the house sells - although an Autumn/winter arrival fills us with less than joyful anticipation! We are taking early retirement while we still have some energy.

There are so many potentially great properties out there, but we are greedy - we not only want the perfect house for us, we are also looking for a great community in which we can feel at home. We want to live in an upland area, for the view, and also because we love the great outdoors. We want to integrate with locals and expats, learn the language, and fit in without wanting to be a part of a closed/cliquey inward-looking Brit enclave. We are very sociable, and would like to be part of a friendly village socialising with Brits who know what we will be going through!!! and who will be able to help if/when we have need - but we also want to link up with friendly forgiving locals who will not cold-shoulder us as outsiders, but smile on our attempts at murdering their language, once we get started. We are not real estate investors, so the choice house/village is going to be a long term/permanent commitment, hence the need to find the right place;
so any information you can provide will be VERY gratefully received. Many thanks in anticipation. We do look forward to hearing from you in our search for the perfect community. Or damn close!

Many thanks for the helpful responses. We liked Dobromirka, and Gostilitsa till we heard of the water shortage last summer (too many Brits have pools!).

We are focusing on villages between Elena and Tryavna! Hopefully we will be out there for a recce soon.

Thanks again to all who offered their views

John

hi sorry can't be much help in detail about the vt area as we don't live there, but im told the villages around elena are really worth looking at. Personnally i'm a big fan of sliven. But thats a town and at the bottom of the mountain range. I wouldnt discount coastal properties as the prices have dropped tremendously especially roundthe dobrich area, which is full of friendly brits. Good luck with your search, hope you find what your looking for.

Remember Elena and Sliven can have serious snow problems in winter. If you are in this area though, before getting to Elena from VT you will pass the turn-off to Mindya, Kapinovo, Tserova Korea, Pchliste and Prisovo which is a beautiful area, easily assesible to Elena, VT and Gorna Orhyavitsa and no problems with water, snow or utilities. Wherever you end up have a good time and enjoy.

sorry I didn't answer as i am not from the VT area either. We go to VT camping in the summer and to be honest we love a weekend with expats and bootsale but are always peased to get back to our small town of Straldja that we love. We have every thing and more in our little town. People are fantastic we are the only English but there are turks and greeks living amongst the Bulgarians and the Roma. The mayor is Roma and has been serving our community for 8 years now. he keeps the Roma here and Bulgarians working on the projects and work he has sourced for the town.
There are english living in near by villages and they come in to town for their shopping and english friends and family come to visit us and they stay in the town hotel because it is new cheap and has all mod con ensuite rooms. I don't have a mountain of extra laundry when we have guests and every one gets to chill.
Hope this helps. I can truly say the mountain regions are beautiful if you decide to live there but for me it is tretourous in the winter and as you are looking for a home for the long term think about getting older. VT city is all walking up hill the villages and towns are the same if you ever needed a wheel chair you would never get out and about.